What's New in the IATA DGR (60th Edition) for 2019?

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its annual summary of significant changes to its Dangerous Goods Regulations, or DGR, the manual used by air shippers around the world to ensure compliance with applicable international hazmat regulations.

Join us to get up to speed on new and changing dangerous goods air shipping rules in the 2019 IATA DGR! Lion will present the Hazmat Air Shipper Certification Webinar on October 11. 

Let’s review major changes for DG air shippers that take effect January 1, 2019. Critical updates in IATA’s Significant Changes and Amendments to the 60^th Edition (2019) include:
 

• Major change to the lithium battery labeling requirements for Jan 1, 2019 (Details below).
• Updated classification criteria for some chemicals and articles (Details below).
• Addition of 12 new UN numbers for articles containing dangerous goods (UN 3537—3548) and other changes to the Dangerous Goods List at IATA DGR 4.2 (Details below).
• Modified Dangerous Goods Shipper Declaration, i.e. “Shipper’s Dec” (Details below).
• Updated Packing Instructions (PI) in Section 5 (Details below).
• Changes and additions to the Special Provisions (Section 4.4) for vehicles, non-spillable batteries, ammonium nitrate fertilizers, Dangerous goods in apparatus/Dangerous goods in machinery, and lithium metal and lithium ion batteries.
• Revised packaging specs/performance tests based on new ISO standards (Section 6)
• New and amended State and operator variations in Section 2.8.
• Updated handling, loading, and segregation rules in Section 9 and related appendices.
• An updated explanation (and examples) of IATA hazmat training requirements, and the three month “window” for recurrent training in Section 1.5.0.3.
• New requirements for passengers and crew who carry DG aboard aircraft (Section 2.3).

Check out the full list of changes for 2019 here.

Pre-order your copy of the 2019 IATA DGR (60th Edition) here before October 15 to save $10 and get free shipping in the US. The 2018 IMDG Code is also available for pre-order! 

New Lithium Battery Rules for Jan. 1, 2019

In addition to adding notes on GHS pictograms on packages and the removal of the 2 mm thickness requirement for hazmat label border lines, IATA is clarifying the requirements for labeling lithium batteries in this year’s DGR.

As of January 1, 2019, the “Lithium battery handling label” is no longer valid for air transport.

Lithium battery shippers should now use the new Class 9 lithium battery label or the new lithium battery mark shown below, as applicable.


 

New IATA DG Classification Criteria

IATA has updated the criteria for classifying certain dangerous goods for air transport in this year’s DGR. If you ship the following substances or articles, be sure to check the latest edition to avoid rejection or fines for noncompliance:
 

• Hybrid lithium batteries (those that contain both lithium metal and lithium ion cells)
• Corrosives (Class 8)
• Ammonium nitrate fertilizers
• Energetic samples
• Articles containing dangerous goods, n.o.s. (UN 3363)

New UN Numbers in the IATA Dangerous Goods List (IATA DGR 4.2)

IATA added a slew of new UN numbers to the Dangerous Goods List for 2019, including 12 new entries for articles that contain dangerous goods in Classes/Divisions 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 6.1, and 9. IATA also added a new DG List entry for UN 3536, Lithium batteries installed in cargo transport unit to address multimodal containers with installed lithium ion batteries, battery management systems, or other electronics.

Also changing is the ERG emergency response drill code for lithium batteries (shown in column N of the DG list)—from 9FZ to 12FZ. The change follows the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel decision that identified “Fire, heat, smoke, toxic and flammable vapor” as the inherent hazard for lithium batteries.  The code 9FZ was used in the past to indicate “No general inherent risk.”

See the full list of new UN number entries to the IATA Dangerous Goods list.

Updated DGR Packing Instructions

IATA has revised, added, or clarified a handful of DGR Packing Instructions for 2019. This includes clarification of the limits on number of spare lithium cells or batteries that may be packaged with equipment in Packing Instructions 966 and 969.

IATA also added combination packagings to Packing Instruction 958 for UN 2071 and UN 2590. Check out the full document to see the complete list of updated PIs.

Changes to the IATA Shipper’s Declaration

The design of the Shippers Declaration has changed to adjust the vocabulary and information required on the form, most notably replacing the phrase “subsidiary risk” with “subsidiary hazard.” Because of this change, shippers may use the “old” Shipper’s Declaration design until December 31, 2024, at which time they must switch over to the “new” design.

The examples of the Shipper’s Declaration shown in the 60^th Edition DGR will reflect these updates.

Check out the full list of changes for 2019 here.

IATA DGR Dangerous Goods Air Shipper Training

Join us for IATA DGR workshops and live webinars and learn from the latest new edition of the primary manual for shipping dangerous goods by air.

Lion will start training shippers from the new edition of the IATA DGR (and the 2018 Edition IMDG Code!) starting in our October workshops and webinars.

Join us live in San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Kansas City, Detroit, and Cincinnati for expert-led multimodal hazmat shipper training in October 2018. Stay for all four days or attend only the DOT ground, IATA air, or IMDG vessel shipper workshops you need.

Can’t make it to the workshop? Expand on your 49 CFR knowledge from the comfort of your home or office! Join in on a live Lion webinar to learn the latest unique IATA or IMDG rules over the web. Interact with a live instructor and get answers to your questions during or after the sessions. Plus, get resources to help you simplify compliance and earn a full year of Lion Membership for complete regulatory support.

IATA DGR Air Shipper Webinar: Live on October 11
IMDG Code Vessel Shipper Webinar: Live on October 25

Tags: dangerous, goods, hazmat, hazmat air shipping, IATA DGR, new rules